


Journey Through the Force

by RurrlockGodOfPower



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Family Dynamics, Gen, Jedi Rey, Lightsaber Battles, Mind Manipulation, No Romance, Original Character Death(s), Planet Destruction, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Space Battles, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-11-08
Packaged: 2018-11-04 22:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10999857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RurrlockGodOfPower/pseuds/RurrlockGodOfPower
Summary: After the destruction of Starkiller base, Kylo Ren disappears to complete his training with Supreme Leader Snoke. The New Republic assembles an unstoppable Galactic Armada to stop the rising conflict. Reluctantly, General Leia and the Resistance prepare to ally themselves with the Republic. Meanwhile, Rey hopes to convince the once great Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker, to return home.





	1. Chapter I

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing (unfortunately); all rights and characters in this fic belong to Disney, Lucasfilm, George Lucas and other respective owners and creators. I gain no profit from this; it's purely for fun.
> 
> If you enjoyed this story and want to know more about my work, you can like the Rurrlock-God of Power Facebook page.

__

_A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…_

**STAR WARS**

**JOURNEY THROUGH THE FORCE**

_After the destruction of Starkiller Base, General Hux leads the remnants of the First Order into retreat towards the outer rims. During this time, Kylo Ren disappears to complete his training under Supreme Leader Snoke._

_Fearing the threat of a new galactic war sweeping across the stars, the Republic assembles an unstoppable Galactic Armada to stop the rising conflict before it escalates out of control. Reluctantly, General Leia and the Resistance prepare to ally themselves with the new Republic._

_Meanwhile, on the distant planet of Ahch-To, Rey hopes to convince the once great Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker, to return home and help restore peace and order to the galaxy…_

**Chapter I**

Much like an ocean, the silence and stillness of space were a wonder to behold. In the distance, countless stars stretched as far as the eye could see. They burned brightly and illuminated the cosmos, casting a seemingly never-ending light onto the many planets. However, one planet's light was blocked as a large shadow engulfed the rocky surface.

The infinite silence of space was cut short by the low rumble of a lifeless space station drifting away. The station, relatively large, around a tenth the size of a small moon, floated slowly as pieces of debris broke apart. Some parts travelled to the deeper reaches of space, whilst others entered the planet's atmosphere, immediately burning up upon entry. The station would most likely only have a few more hours before it would be destroyed; which meant that the half-dozen X-Wing fighters that emerged from hyperspace didn't have much time.

''There it is.'' Poe Dameron spoke clearly over the radio.

Black Squadron took formation; two flanking on the sides and the other three fighters lined up behind Poe as he took the lead. He made sure they kept their distance from the derelict space station, just in case the area wasn't as deserted as they were believed. Their ships zoomed around the station, scouting for any sign of life. It took them a while to circle it, not wanting to draw any suspicion.

''Look at that thing,'' Jessika Pava commented. They all watched as another large chunk of the station broke off, sending smaller parts and debris flying in all directions. Luckily, they were far enough away so not to collide with it, however, they had another problem. ''I don't think it has much longer.''

''Then let's make this quick,'' Poe said to his squadron. Reaching forward, he flicked a switch that gave him a fully scanned schematic of the space station that floated before them, well, a map of the station when it was still in one piece. ''Alright, BB-8, you found us a way in?''

The tiny, spherical droid nestled in his compartment beeped loudly.

Within seconds, the schematic in front of Poe zoomed in until it had found an entrance area. The passageway door flickered with light and text hovered on screen, giving Poe a better idea of what they were up against. ''Okay, good news,'' He radioed the others. ''We've found a way in, and the shield generator is still functional. We can go in and land without having to worry about getting sucked into the vacuum of space.''

''Do we know if there are any survivors on board?'' Karé Kun asked.

''General Organa said the chances of there being any were very unlikely,'' L'ulo answered her.

Poe's eyes were constantly fixed on the broken station, afraid to take his eyes off it for even a moment. His eyes would drift to every corner; the slightest shadow that was cast had him on edge. He was aware that General Leia Organa was very rarely wrong, so if she said before that there were no survivors he had no reason to doubt her. However, all it would take was one fighter to hide in the darkness and catch them off guard or lay in wait within the station until someone brave or foolish enough stepped on board.

He did always consider himself a brave fool. ''Okay, here's the plan.'' Poe addressed his squadron. ''Karé, L'ulo and Muva, you three will keep watch out here. Don't remain too close to get caught up in the debris, but don't drift far enough away to get picked off by any First Order ships that emerge from Lightspeed. Jess and Snap, you're with me. We get in, use R7 to hack into the main computer and find what exactly this station was carrying before it was ambushed, and get out before we have some unwelcome company.''

''If the First Order attacked and ransacked this ship, why would they come back?'' Snap inquired.

Immediately, Jessika replied. ''Probably to destroy any evidence of them being here.''

''Then why leave the station at all? Why not destroy it completely?''

Before anyone else could reply, Poe spoke quietly but firmly. ''Because there's a good chance that it wasn't the First Order who attacked this station.''

The squadron split into its respective groups with swift prescience. Each fighter passed over the other in opposite direction without another moment's hesitation. As the three left behind to keep a watchful eye on their surroundings circled over the hollow station, Poe's team sharply turned and flew towards the opening.

Poe charged forward, tensely clutching his fist as they slowed to a crawl and eased their way through the protective shield. The artificial gravity within the interior of the ship becoming noticeable instantly once Poe felt the tight clenching in the pit of his stomach ease up. Over the years of being a pilot who has ventured into the deepest reaches of space, he had grown used to the sensation that overflowed his body. X-Wings were fighter ships by design; they had a limit to what they could take within zero gravity. The transition brought a comforting sensation to his being as he set the ship down in the loading bay.

A few anxious seconds ticked by. The three pilots and their droid companions waited in anticipation, expecting something to happen. The hum of their engines shutting off echoed all around the bay and through the dozens of hallways scattered in multiple routes.

BB-8 spun worriedly in his compartment, scoping the area.

The cockpit canopy rose up, allowing Poe to stand up. He unbuckled his helmet but didn't take it off, feeling a little more protected with it on. He climbed down from the cockpit, with Jessika and Snap mimicking his actions.

The moment Poe's foot touched the metallic floor a low rumbling sound reverberated around them, causing them to freeze in place and wait for the sound to stop. Poe gulped but kept a stern face, keeping his worries inward. He knew that this mission was going to be dangerous, but he underestimated how poor of a state this battered space station was. It would probably just take one fair-sized explosion to demolish all that was left.

A loud clang that pierced their eardrums caused them to jump and turn towards the source of the sound, expecting either an enemy in hiding or the station starting to fully give way. Instead, they saw BB-8 bouncing and rolling along the ground after ejecting himself from the ship. He glanced at the group and gave them an apologetic beep.

Poe let out a relieved chuckle, same as Jessika, though Snap didn't look so amused. ''Tell me, has anyone in the Resistance ever died from a heart attack by a droid?''

''Actually…'' Jessika said before Snap raised a hand to silence her. ''Ah, rhetorical question, got ya.'' She cheekily jibbed.

Just the sound of Poe's footsteps as he approached BB-8 were like war drums booming loudly. They couldn't help but consider it a miracle that this station was holding it together. The pilot kneeled down to his little companion. ''You ready to lead the way?''

BB-8 rolled back and forth, bobbing his head, his beeps higher-pitched and blared rapidly, causing Poe's grin to widen. Like a missile, the little droid sped off towards one of the pathways, throwing all caution to the wind now that he knew he was in charge for the duration of this mission, at least until they found the main computer. Poe rose to his feet and turned to Jess and Snap. ''Keep blasters on stun! We don't want to risk blowing another hole in this place. It's got enough of those as it is.''

They nodded and followed his instructions, taking their blasters out from their holsters and keeping them at the ready. Jessika looked up to her ship, getting the attention of her droid, R7. She tilted her head to the side, gesturing for him to follow. ''Let's go.''

The Astro-droid sprang from his compartment, quickly igniting his boosters from within his ankles and gently setting down. Still, despite the delicacy of R7's landing, that didn't stop the echo from returning.

* * *

Finn's eyes fluttered open. He groaned as he found himself blinded by a bright, white light. He tried to reach his hand out to shield his eyes but instantly flinched the moment his arm was slightly raised.

His mind was just as blurry as his vision. Memories of what had happened to him were fractured. He tried to sit up, his body faltering, causing him to groan some more. ''Rey…'' He whispered before he could properly comprehend where he was.

A soft-spoken voice caused him to freeze. ''We were beginning to wonder when you would wake.''

The voice was muffled, making it difficult for him to know who was speaking to him. At first, he thought he was in danger and immediately tried to hop on his feet and run, but his body was having none of it. One of his hands wrapped around his stomach, trying to ease the pain in some way, while the other rubbed his eyes, hoping that his sight would return to him. A surge of pain quickly erupted along his back before disappearing.

''Don't worry. You're safe.'' The voice said soothingly.

Finn shook his head in his hand. A poor decision, his head felt like it was spinning enough as it is. He felt like he was going to be sick at any moment. ''How do I know this isn't a trap? How do I know you're not the First Order?'' He breathed heavily.

''Would the First Order address you by your proper name, Finn?'' The voice said more firmly.

Finn could now tell the voice was a woman's, an older woman, not Rey. His mind seemed to still, and his head no longer felt like it was being tossed around upside down, thankfully. He glanced over to the speaker seated next to him, still blurred out. From what he could make out, he was in a building, clean and quiet. ''What happened?'' He asked weakly. But just as soon as he had said that memories of what had transpired on Starkiller flashed across like a shooting star.

He remembered it all. Rey, Han, the fight with Kylo.

''It's a lot to take in, I know.'' The voice said.

Finn stared in confusion. ''How did…'' He stopped. After a moment, his vision strengthened well enough for him to see the face staring back at him. ''G-general Leia Organa?''

Leia offered a comforting smile. ''It's good to see you awake. It was a close call, but our medical staff worked around the clock to make sure you were going to make it.''

''I…'' He arched his back slightly, and that was all it took for another jolt of excruciating pain to spike throughout his body. He cried out in pain.

Leia leant forward and placed a tender hand on his shoulder, trying to ease him through the pain. ''Slow. Go slow.'' He said steadily.

Finn breathed heavily and shakily. His back was screaming in torment. He clutched his fists tightly, trying to suppress the pain surging through him. Gritting his teeth, he tried to slow his breathing to a crawl, just as Leia instructed. Soon enough, he felt the pain subside slightly, though his vision started to swim again. Another loud groan followed before he turned to Leia. ''Rey? Starkiller? Did we destroy it?''

The general nodded and smiled. ''We did. You and Rey made it back safely.''

For the first time since he woke, a huge grin spread across his face. A quivering sigh of relief came from him until he remembered something, he remembered someone who didn't make it back. ''Han? He…'' He saw the smile on Leia's face falter and her eyes shift away, peering into a dream or memory of her late husband no doubt. Finn felt his stomach turn but for a different reason other than his own physical pain. ''I am so sorry.''

Leia returned her gaze to Finn. ''There was nothing you could have done. You and Rey did all you could.''

Finn didn't know what to say. He couldn't find the words to express his sadness and grief over what happened. He couldn't imagine the pain that Leia must be going through. To not only lose her husband but also have his blood coat the hands of their own son…it was unthinkable. He looked around the room, glad to see that his vision was getting better, though the pain from Kylo's strike wasn't going to be going away anytime soon. That led to another question. ''What happened to Kylo Ren?''

He thought for a second that he was overstepping his boundaries; he believed he had no place or right to ask her these types of questions. So it surprised him to see her answer so quickly without uncertainty. ''It's hard to know. Ever since Starkiller base was destroyed, he and Snoke have gone into hiding.''

Finn felt something tug inside at the choice of the general's words. ''Ever since?'' He questioned. ''How long have I been asleep?''

''Close to five months.''

He couldn't believe it. Only hours ago he felt the cold, brisk winds on Starkiller base and the heat of holding Luke's lightsabre in his hands. To be out of action that long, he didn't know what to think. So many things raced through his head, fighting for attention.

''Finn,'' Leia called, earning his attention. ''I know you must have a lot of questions, so I'm going to try and answer the important ones and quickly brief you on what you've missed.''

''A lot, I'm sure.''

''We finished the map. We managed to find where Luke is, and Rey went to find him.''

Finn shifted on the medical bed, fully facing Leia. ''She found him? Where are they?''

''They're fine. She's with him now. They're both safe.''

Overcome with awe, Finn wanted to smile but was too shocked to move. It looks like Luke Skywalker was real after all, and Rey was with him. No doubt training in the ways of being a Jedi Knight and helping to fight back against the First Order. He felt a sense of pride overwhelm him at the thought of what she had accomplished, and he couldn't be happier knowing that he had a part in helping make a difference. He wanted to see her, to congratulate her. ''Are they here now?''

Leia's lip twitched slightly. ''Not at the moment, they're off-world on another mission. As is Commander Poe Dameron, since I know you'll be curious about his safety too.'' She winked.

Despite her promising words, he couldn't help but feel discouraged. If it has really been so long since he was awake, he felt that he should see them again, to let them know he was okay. That's when another thing caught his interest. ''Um, General Organa, if I've been in a coma for five months, how did you know to wait for me to awake now?''

Her grin returned in full force. ''Let's call it intuition.''

''Or the Force!'' Finn beamed.

A chuckle escaped Leia. ''You can call it that if you want,'' She lowered her hand down Finn's sore back, helping to ease him so that he was laying down once more, working past the groans from the wounded hero. ''Get some rest. I need to be going now. You can be filled in on everything once you've fully healed.''

He felt sweet relief as he lay down on the comfortable bed. His heavy eyelids shut, though he couldn't bring himself to sleep with trying to process everything. ''Thank you. I promise I will be ready to help in any way I can soon.''

''Worry about that later, rest now,'' Leia told him.

''But I want to help and…'' A sharp pain shot through him, causing him to grimace and moan loudly.

Leia smirked. ''I know you do. Just don't make a habit of hurting yourself doing so.''

* * *

They marched onwards, and the minutes that passed on their journey felt like hours. BB-8 took them where they needed to go, unfortunately, the size of the station meant that it took them a lot longer than they originally predicted, and they were running on limited time. Whenever things were quiet, and the only sounds coming from them were their shaky breaths, it would be drowned out by the sound of the ship rumbling. A cold breeze and the scent of smoke hit Poe's face.

Even BB-8's enthusiasm from earlier had subsided. He wheeled ahead, guiding the small team through every turn and corner, though not before peering around the edge every time, worried about what might be hiding in the shadows in the next alleyway.

The longer they went on, the more something nagged in the back of Poe's mind. ''Where is everyone?''

''Dead, probably,'' Snap said quietly.

''Hopefully.'' Jessika followed.

''But where are the bodies?'' Poe sounded confused. ''We haven't seen a single one since we landed.''

BB-8's dome spun around as his orb-like body pushed onwards, beeping at Poe wildly with his own theory.

''I considered that too, but if they did evacuate beforehand, then why would the attackers leave this place in disarray?'' Poe said quietly. By this point, he was considering every option and theory, unfortunately, until they come across their first body they had to remain just theories. Not that he was actively looking or hoping to find a body. A dragged-out whistle from a trembling BB-8 showed he wasn't the only one thinking the same thing. He gave a reassuring smile. ''Don't worry, BB-8. This just proves we're only and nothing in this ship can hurt us.''

His encouraging words didn't have long to sink in before another booming sound was heard coming from a distance. The sound lasted for a solid few seconds. Another piece of the ship had become detached. Suddenly, it was a lot harder for Poe to force a smile. ''That being said, I can't say the same thing for the ship itself.'' He murmured to himself.

''Commander!'' He heard Snap call out from behind. Poe turned around to see that his two comrades had halted a few metres behind him, inspecting something embedded in the walls. ''You should come and take a look at this.''

Hurriedly, Poe rushed over. Immediately, his eyes were drawn to a marking left in the steel wall. His finger followed the burnt trial downwards, the charred remaining breaking into pieces at the slightest contact. He couldn't have been certain a conflict happened here until now, as the smoke that filled the air could easily be from the damage impacted on the ship from outside, but now they had hard evidence that a fight took place in these very corridors. ''It's still warm.''

''A blaster impact is still warm after all this time?'' Jessika asked curiously.

Poe shook his head. ''I don't think this was from a blaster.''

''Then where did it come from?''

Poe was overcome by hesitation. He had already figured out what weapon left this mark, but couldn't bring himself to say it.

Snap stepped forward and followed the charred mark with his finger. ''Looking at how this has been formed if I were to hazard a guess, this was done by a lightsabre.''

Jessika's eyebrows arched upwards, and her face scrunched tightly. She turned to the marking, looking at it in puzzlement. ''So…Kylo Ren attacked this ship?''

''I don't think so,'' Snap dismissed. ''He disappears off the face of the galaxy ever since the Starkiller base was destroyed, only to reappear to attack some mining station? That doesn't add up.''

Jessika looked like she wanted to say something else, her mouth opened but she remained silent as she saw something changing in Poe's expression. Snap noticed this too, gazing over to their commander and seeing his face darken. Poe's hand remained on the charred wall and his eyes drilled into it. The sound of his breathing increased to unnatural levels, and his arm soon started to tremor slightly, causing the remaining charred pieces to fall to the floor, though Poe didn't retract his arm.

''Commander?'' Snap addressed, but his voice had fallen on deaf ears.

Poe was staring at the wall, but that's not what he saw, instead, all he could see was darkness. Out of that darkness, emerged a figure of black and metal. The masked figure grew larger as he seemingly walked closer and closer to Poe. Poe couldn't tear his eyes away, not even when a blinding red light appeared next to the masked figure, fully revealing Kylo Ren.

The dark warrior raised his hand outwards, and Poe felt his heart tighten and his body convulses uncontrollably. It felt like there was an iron vice tightening inside his head, crushing him from the inside and he felt too weak to do anything to stop it. His body felt trapped and helpless, unable to stop the torture he was being put through…or was he putting himself through it? He couldn't be sure of what was real and what wasn't.

All those dark thoughts and the image of Kylo ripped away from his subconscious as BB-8's loud shriek diverted his concentration back down to the other end of the hallway. The droid rolled around in a circle until he knew he had the other's undivided attention, and then he dashed to the left down another corridor.

Breathing heavily, Poe wiped away the sweat building up on his forehead. ''BB-8's found the main control room. Come on.'' He strode away, following the droid. Behind him, Jessika and Snap shared a worried glance momentarily. They knew there wasn't going to be any chance of bringing up what just happened to Poe considering how quickly he hurried away without saying a word. It was no secret amongst the Resistance that Poe had escaped his capture from the First Order unscathed, despite Poe's best attempts to hide it.

Deciding to drop the subject and focus on the mission, they rushed to catch up with their commander.

Just as BB-8 excitedly pointed out, he had found the main control room. An oval-shaped deck, with broken computers planted on the walls, and control consoles shrouded in rubble and debris. Poe was already checking every piece of equipment, pushing aside large chunks of metal and torn circuits until he found what he was looking for.

He kneeled down to find a hatch on the side of the control desk was a dent, with one corner pointing upwards, allowing Poe to hook his fingers underneath and pull the hatch off, and revealing a small port to the system.

Jessika patted R7 on the dome. ''Do your thing.'' She urged the droid. R7 strolled forward, extended his computer interface arm and was connected instantly.

Giving the droid some space to do his work, Poe stood up, straightening his back and turning to Snap and Jess. ''Alright, if everything goes our way, we'll be able to find out whose mining station this was and what exactly was stolen. If we're really lucky, we might also be able to get a glimpse into the archives to see who were the attackers.''

''Hopefully, that won't take too long,'' Snap commented. ''I want to leave this lifeless hulk as soon as possible,''

Poe smirked. ''Oh come on, this is probably only the fifth or sixth most terrifying ship we've ever boarded.''

''Five or six ships too many for my liking.'' He retorted.

A smile tugged on Jessika's lips, although he disappeared just as quickly as the thoughts of what had transpired earlier with Poe etched in her mind. ''Commander,'' She trailed off, hesitant to continue. Poe eyed inquisitively, forcing the question to escape her lips. ''Are you okay?''

Poe's expression didn't change. ''I'm fine.'' He said flatly.

''You didn't seem fine back there...''

Snap raised his hand to cut off Jess from uttering another word and glared at her. ''Pava, that's enough.''

''No, no, Wexley, it's fine,'' Poe placed a hand on Snap's shoulder, easing the stern pilot and calming the situation between them. Once Snap had been silenced, a given seeing as Poe had decided to not address him by his nickname, Poe's eyes shifted to the ground. From the corner of his eye, he saw BB-8 look up at him. With all eyes on him, Poe looked up at his comrades. ''I'm fine, really, I am. I just…'' He paused, he felt like his mind would drift away again but kept himself in check. ''I just need to keep myself focused. Once we get back home, my mind will be a lot clearer.'' He smiled confidently at them, hoping to swat away any other concerns they had for him.

Though, Jess and Snap noticed that Poe looked past them and not directly at them when trying respond reassuringly. Poe's mouth opened ready to say something else until he was interrupted by R7 beeping and whistling loudly to get their attention. BB-8 skidded over to his droid comrade and the two artificial beings conversed for a brief moment. Poe listened in, catching sight of BB-8 reeling back in shock and turning to Poe with a panicked expression.

Likewise, Poe's heart sank and his stomach turned when he heard the news coming from the droid. ''This isn't good.''

''What?'' Jessika asked.

Poe turned to them, his face paling differently from before in the hallway, though nonetheless worrying. ''This station, it belongs to the First Order!''

Jessika and Snap now shared Poe's troubled and shocked expression, looking to each other, then to the droids, and then finally back to Poe. The realisation was starting to sink in. They were standing within the ruins of one of the tyrannical regime's ships after an attack.

The little time that they had left had halved from that realisation.

Around Poe's belt, his transmitter screeched loudly. As quickly as he could, Poe reached for it and answered. ''This is Commander Dameron…''

 _''Commander, we have a problem,''_ Karé called. _''I'm detecting multiple ships approaching from hyperspace. They'll be on us in seconds. Please tell me you have what we're looking for so we can get out of here.''_

With just a glance, Poe's team understood. Jessika and Snap rushed past him, hurrying back down the way they came with BB-8 and the now unplugged R7 in tow. Poe wasn't too far behind. ''We're coming back now!'' He replied to Karé.

They were now sprinting back to the dock; more worried about the ships heading for them than the ship they were currently in, falling to pieces behind them. The echoed rumble grew louder and louder, encouraging them to reach their destination quicker.

Once they reached the final corner, with the dock just a narrow stretch in front of them, Poe's transmitter went off again. Poe answered it, and Karé called out amidst the sound of distant fighting. _''Commander, we have TIE fighters on our tail and engaging them now. Awaiting your arrival.''_

''Don't wait, make the jump to light speed now. We'll follow behind you!''

_''If we do that, these fighters will pick you off before you even get out of the station. We'll hold them off and wait for the rest of you.''_

Time wasn't on his side, and Poe couldn't argue any further before making back to his X-Wing fighter. As quickly as they could, they climbed into their cockpits, whilst BB-8 and R7 rushed to fit in their compartments.

Poe switched on the ignition and waited for his canopy to lower. Beyond them, past the shield gate, they could see the battle underway. TIE fighters soared around in different directions, separating and hunting down Black Squadron. The dock shook violently as the station was hit. Poe could only watch on as the walls around them crumbled away, and the shield keeping them from the vacuum of space disappeared.

Fortunately, they had already sealed themselves within their respective cockpits and their droids were safely sealed. However, they faced a new problem, because they were now facing a typhoon of debris being hurled all around, threatening to damage their ships. They couldn't wait any longer, though, as another blast jolted the station, and the corridors around them became a tunnel of fire.

They each took off, trying their best to flying straight for the opening. Poe slowed down to allow Jess and Snap to pass through first, but the opening began to collapse, narrowing his chance of escape both figuratively and literally. Once he knew that his comrades were safely out, Poe fired the thrusters and shot through the gap before it crashed together and exploded behind them.

They were out of the demolished station, though that didn't mean they were in the clear yet. Poe realised as much when he heard the howling of the TIE fighters all around him.

''Two of them coming in from the right, Commander,'' Jessika warned over the radio.

''I see them,'' Poe spun his X-Wing to the right, with the TIE fighters following closely behind him, their lasers close enough to brush against his ship, but failing to land a single clear strike.

Despite what was happening, Poe smiled gratefully, feeling more at ease in this kind of environment.

He tilted the ship upwards, before flicking a switch and causing the scissor-like wings of his ship too close. Suddenly, he dropped the nose and dived down right towards the incoming TIE fighters. He spun his ship into a barrel roll as they fired at him. At the last moment, the enemy ships scrambled apart to avoid a collision with the X-Wing. Poe's grin grew. His plan had worked perfectly.

He veered sharply, and the wings of his ship scissored open. The momentum propelled his ship to greater speeds as he now tailed the TIE fighters. All it took were a few well-aimed blasts to blow them to pieces.

''Nice moves, commander.'' Jessika cheered.

Poe laughed. ''It's all about the element of surprise. If you have that, you're always one step ahead of the other pilots.''

Beside him, his comrades returned to the formation, staying close by his side. The remaining TIE fighters followed closely behind. ''Are we ready to get out of here?'' Karé called out.

''As soon as we circle this station, we'll be clear to make the jump,'' Poe responded.

They rocketed across the surface of the derelict station, desperately trying to lose the TIE fighters chasing from behind. They fired more consecutive blasts at the ships, but Black Squadron was too quick for them. The final corner was coming up, and they would have a clear path to jump to lightspeed. However, one TIE fighter had other ideas.

Poe could only watch as green lasers zoomed past him, hitting the surface of the station and cutting off one of the platforms from the main port, causing it to drift outwards and block their path. ''Break formation!'' Poe cried out.

He rolled out of the way, just managing to avoid the debris. His ship shook from the force of the blast, causing him to fear that he had been hit for a split second. Once he was sure he was safe, confirmed by BB-8's panicked tones from behind, Poe's next task was to out run the two TIE fighters catching up behind him.

There wasn't much time to think of a new plan, as another part of the station was ripped off, this time of its own accord. He dived and spiralled downwards, tucking underneath the large drifting debris, but having to keep going as it rolled in his direction. The TIE fighters behind weren't fast enough to avoid the impact and crashed.

He didn't think that he would make it. He could either carry on and hope that he could slide underneath the debris before it caught him, or he could risk banking in another direction and possibly get picked off by another chunk of debris or the blasters of another TIE fighter.

Another roar ripped through his cockpit, and Poe feared the worst. His breath stilled and everything seemed to go silent until the debris was blasted wide open and he felt the heat coming from the explosion. ''You're all clear, commander,'' Snap shouted and zoomed past Poe through the opening.

Poe chuckled and followed closely behind. ''Well, with the number of times I've saved your life, you have to start making it up to me sometimes.''

''We can do a count once we return to base.''

''Everyone, regroup!'' Poe flew forward, with Snap allowing him to pass and take the lead. After a moment, the rest of the squadron followed closely behind. They were now away from the destroyed station, and far enough away from the last TIE fighters for them to no longer be considered a threat now. ''Lock onto coordinates and standby.''

Their ships rattled, and the stars in the distance shone brighter for a split second as they made the jump into hyperspace.

* * *

The D'Qar Resistance base was energetic the moment Black Squadron had contacted them about what they had found. General Leia Organa was thankful that the squadron would all be returning alive and well, however, the news they brought with them brought dread and fear.

The atmosphere was no different in the main command centre of the base, where many of the Resistance's Admirals and Commanders argued over what the First Order was plotting and what they should do about it. The shouts continued to grow louder and louder, each person hoping to drown out the voice of their detractor. This just resulted in chaos and endless bickering, until Leia took centre stage and brought up a holographic schematic of the mining station Poe had been sent to investigate.

The arguing had ceased and the room was now silent, allowing Leia to speak. ''I'm afraid that this is worse than we feared. We can confirm that this mining station was not attacked by the First Order, but was, in fact, being used by them.''

''For what purpose?'' A General questioned.

''We can't be sure yet.''

''You know what this means, don't you?'' An Admiral slammed his fist on the table and bellowed. ''The First Order will blame the Resistance for this attack, and they'll retaliate.''

''Let them try,'' Another General yelled cockily. ''They are broken and defeated. Ever since Starkiller base was destroyed, they have been dwindling, with fewer and fewer attacks. They hold no power.''

''You really want to take that chance?''

''I do, yes. We should be focusing our concerns on other matters, such as the New Republic's proposed Armada…''

Leia shook her head. ''No, the First Order is our number one priority. If we allow them a moment's peace, it'll be the rise of the Galactic Empire all over again.''

The General scoffed. ''The First Order is not the Empire. You are just using a minor incident to stall on this partnership with the Armada…''

He was interrupted by the stern voice of an Admiral. ''And with good reason! The New Republic wants to take action after what happened to the Hosmian system. They will use this Armada as a way to spread their authority across the galaxy against the will and consent of the galaxy's citizens.''

A glare formed across the argumentative General's face. ''From the sounds of it, you're saying the New Republic could lead to the rise of the Galactic Empire all over again.''

''Well, history has a way of repeating itself.''

Everyone yelled and cried, trying to voice their opinion over one another others. It was clear to Leia that this sudden development had shaken them greatly. Things had been relatively quiet regarding the First Order. All they had achieved was the rallying cause to a few planets in the outer rims. It troubled her that one of their stations had been found so close to Resistance and the New Republic systems.

After a minute of bickering, she had heard enough and stepped forward. Those on her side wondered how she would calm the quarrelling. Instead of raising her voice, she merely closed her eyes and breathed quietly. Remarkably, with every passing second, the room quietened down, and the leaders each turned to watch the general. The constricting atmosphere inside the base had eased, and once everything was settled, Leia opened her eyes.

She addressed everyone with a soft-spoken yet commanding voice. ''At this moment in time, we have very little to go on. But what we do know is that the First Order is on the move, and is willing to enter New Republic domain to achieve their ambition. We need to know what they were doing, and what they might have been possibly transporting.''

''Were Black Squadron not able to find that out?''

''Unfortunately, they were attacked before they could gather all of the information. However, we do know where the ship had docked beforehand. The industrial planet, Kuat. We will find our answers there, and find out what the First Order were after.''

Finally, it had seemed they had reached an agreement. But, before Leia could feel hopeful, the voice of an old major called out. ''There's something you're forgetting. We know we didn't attack that First Order ship, so who did?''

All eyes turned to her once again. Leia exhaled heavily and shook her head. ''I don't know. We will get to the bottom of this. But first thing's first, the moment Black Squadron touchdown, they'll rest up and head back to Kuat and find out what the First Order were after.''

Once the report had been completed, she thanked and dismissed everyone before leaving the room.

As she walked to her ship, standing outside and watching the D'Qar sunset, she couldn't shake the troubling feeling that something terrible was going to happen. Darkness clouded her mind, and her heart felt cold and heavy. This was a never-ending fight. But she couldn't waver, not even for a moment otherwise all would be lost. But what more could she do?

She stopped and looked up to the sky, seeing a few faint stars glowing in the distance, knowing that her son was out there somewhere. ''Ben, what are you planning? What is your next move?'' Her head tilted downwards, and she could stop a single tear from sliding down her cheek. ''Where are you?''

''General Leia, are you alright?''

Leia turned and smiled at C-3PO. ''Yes,'' She replied. ''Thank you.''

''I just wanted to make sure. Over the years I have become more adept to better understanding human emotions. I know that everything must be very stressful for you. I wouldn't be able to handle it. My circuits would fry before you could blink.''

A small grin appeared across Leia's face. ''Well, thank you for checking on me.''

''You're most welcome, General Leia.'' He looked over her shoulder to see that she was heading towards her transport ship. His body stiffened and abruptly faced her. ''Where are you heading to now?''

''I'm going to Arkanis.''

''Arkanis?'' C-3PO squawked. ''That's where the New Republic Armada will be deployed soon.''

''I know,'' Leia clarified, spinning her heel and striding towards her ship. ''I'm going to be having a few words with the governors. Interject my thoughts regarding this whole ordeal.''

''Oh my,'' C-3PO responded flustered. ''Well, I wish you all the best of luck. You would do better than I, that's for sure.''

Leia amusedly rolled her eyes. ''That is for sure.''

She headed off, only getting a few more steps before she heard the protocol droid following behind her. She sharply turned to C-3PO, waiting to see if he had anything else to say. ''Um, I do apologise, it was not my place to listen, and I completely understand if you are upset with me…''

Leia crossed her arms. ''Listen in on what?''

''I happened to be passing by the medical facility when I overheard your conversation with…Finn, I believe his name was…''

''And?''

''And I was curious, why did you lie to him about Master Luke and Rey?''

Leia dreaded this being found out. At least she could take comfort in knowing it was only C-3PO that overheard their conversation. ''Because at this point in time, that was the easier answer for him to hear.''

**To Be Continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like, you can follow my original stories on Wattpad. My penname is Thomas-LF. Thank you for your time, if you do read them, I hope you enjoy them.


	2. Chapter II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing (unfortunately); all rights and characters in this fic belong to Disney, Lucasfilm, George Lucas and other respective owners and creators. I gain no profit from this; it's purely for fun.
> 
> If you enjoyed this story and want to know more about my work, you can like the Rurrlock-God of Power Facebook page.

**Chapter II**

Breaking through the D'Qar atmosphere and descending over the Resistance base, Poe finally released a sigh of relief. He could never be too sure that he and Black Squadron were safe until they had their allies in their sights.

They place seemed to be buzzing below, with dozens, if not hundreds, of people scattered about and heading to their respective posts. It had been a few hours since Poe had sent the transmission, reporting what he and the others had discovered on the derelict, mining station. Any new developments involving the First Order, no matter how vague, were sure to cause a ruckus. On their journey back, Poe was left with his own thoughts, pondering what the First Order could have been delivering. But, there was a bigger question that pestered. Who attacked the station? The indication that a lightsabre had been used gave him one theory.

The flight of X-Wings made a precise arrival along the landing path. Each member of Black Squadron took their time to rise from their open canopy, allowing for a moment to breathe and relax. Poe, on the other hand, rushed to exit his vehicle with BB-8 following closely behind. The little droid rolled alongside his partner's legs as the pilot marched to the main quarters of the base, beeping frantically.

''I hope they got our message. It's the biggest news we've had in a long time,'' Poe retorted, glancing back at the droid.

BB-8 dragged his beeps out worriedly.

With a reassuring grin, Poe stopped and kneeled down. ''Don't let it get to you, buddy. Maybe we're panicking over nothing,'' Feeling a presence looming behind him, he turned around to see the young lieutenant, Kaydel Ko Connix, heading towards them. His grin slowly disappeared. ''Although, I think that's too much to ask for.''

He stood up straight and clasped his hands together, waiting patiently for his superior officer to address him. Two droids shadowed her, one of them being the golden protocol droid that never seemed to leave General Leia's side. This gave Poe the idea that the General wasn't around to comment on their mission, leaving the young lady before him to deliver any updates.

''Welcome back, Black Leader,'' Kaydel greeted and bowed respectfully, with Poe repeating her action. ''I'm glad to see that you and your Squadron returned in one piece.''

''It was a close call, but we pulled through,'' Poe bolstered. ''Did you receive our transmission?''

She nodded. ''We did, yes. That's actually what we need to discuss next. Can you call the rest of your team?''

Without hesitation, he turned his gaze back over to his team, watching them share a few quick words with each other. He whistled loudly and lifted his arm in the arm, signalling for them to come over. Promptly, the rest of Black Squadron marched forward and stood next to their leader, eyes locked with the lieutenant.

Kaydel's eyes skimmed over the team, never showing any favouritism to a particular person. ''The Council wishes to commend you. You went above and beyond what was required of you all in what was supposed to be a simple scout mission.''

Poe sighed. ''But we didn't get all the information we needed.''

''Perhaps not, but we know enough to plot our next course of action,'' She glanced at the larger droid to her right as it handed her small data pad which she examined attentively. ''We know that this particular space station had left the planet Kuat, in the Core Worlds region of the galaxy. The Council wants a few of you to go there and find out what the First Order were collecting and where they were transporting it too.''

Poe furrowed his brows. ''Are we not going to look into what attacked the station?''

''At a later date!'' She replied firmly. ''That information is scarce. Right now, this is all we have to go on. We need to know what exactly the First Order was transporting, and our best-case scenario is also learning where their cargo went and then we can find out who the attackers are.''

Huffing, Poe gave the lieutenant a worried nod. ''I prefer sooner rather than later. Because we know the First Order are going to pin the blame on the Resistance.''

''The Council's thoughts exactly. You will take an hour to recoup and prepare yourselves to travel to the Kuat system. Good luck, and may the Force be with you.'' After giving them the details, she bowed once more before turning back to the base. The two droids mirrored her steps and followed.

As Poe shifted his body so that he would face his team, seeing a dejected look planted on each of their diverse faces. This wasn't exactly the welcome back they wanted, but it was to be expected. Their numbers were already stretched thin across the galaxy, and any pilots that were available wouldn't rest for long when missions need attending. Feeling an air of gloom around them, Poe stepped closer. ''You heard the Lieutenant. Rest up, and then report back here within the hour. The sooner we find our answers, the sooner we can kick our feet up and rest.''

Snap grimaced. ''I would feel more appreciated if the Council delivered these missions to us in person!''

Poe smirked and walked over to pat her on the shoulder. ''They're very busy people. As are we. We just have more fun doing what we do.''

Snap rolled his eyes. ''I wouldn't call what we just experienced fun.''

The team shared a light chuckle at Snap's expense. However, Poe's smile vanished the quickest and his mind seemed to drift to a place elsewhere. Memories of what they found on the station led to another set memories for the confident pilot, of a much darker place. One where he saw nothing but darkness, sliced apart by a red light. Incoherent screams rang in his head, making him feel dizzy. Despite knowing he was safe and away from harm, the fiery claws of darkness squeezed his heart and made it difficult for him to breath.

''Poe,'' Jessika's concerned voice dragged him out of the pit. The darkness faded as he saw his team staring at him with narrow eyes. ''Are you sure you're okay?''

He couldn't hide it from them. There was still that fear that he was always being watched, always being haunted. But, in these desperate times, when the Resistance needed level-headed fighters, Poe thought it best to shake away those dark thoughts. ''I'm fine, really.''

Jessika looked like she was going to say more, however, a stern look from Snap sealed her lips.

Not wanting to leave things on a bleak note, Poe confidently smiled at them. ''Come on, let's rest up. That hour is going to fly by faster than the Millennium Falcon.''

Though he did a poor job of convincing them, they decided to leave it be. An hour of rest might be what was needed, not just to give Poe time to clear his head, but also help them stop the rapid beating of their hearts after their recent space battle.

The moment that they parted ways, heading to their respective hangers, Poe heard a commotion coming from behind. He turned to see the protocol droid next to Kaydel was hurrying towards him.

''Commander Dameron? Pardon me, Commander Dameron, might I have a word, please?'' C-3PO approached the pilot nervously, despite Poe giving him an amused little smile.

BB-8 rolled back and forth, beeping happily at his arrival.

The cautious droid stared down at him. ''Oh, I am most relieved to see you back safe and sound, BB-8. And of course, Commander Dameron,'' He sharply turned to Poe, almost as if he was afraid he had offended the pilot by not addressing him right away.

Poe waved his hands dismissively. ''Poe is fine. First name is good.''

''Oh, right, I will make sure to remember that for next time,'' C-3PO apologised. ''I'm terribly sorry, I didn't want to interrupt Lieutenant Connix's briefing, but General Leia wanted me to pass on a message to you.''

Folding his arms over his chest, Poe looked at the droid curiously. ''Is everyone too shy to deliver messages in person today?''

''Oh no,'' C-3PO replied defensively, not picking up on the hint of sarcasm in Poe's voice. ''I'm sure General Leia would have happily told you herself, however, she is off-world at the moment. She is heading to Arkanis.''

His eyes widened in shock. ''Arkanis? Is it about the Armada?''

''Indeed, believe me, I was just as stunned as you are. She said she wanted to interject her own thoughts to the governors regarding the matter.''

Poe bit his lip and shook his head, suppressing the urge to cackle. ''Oh, I would give anything to be there right now. The looks on their faces when the general gives them a piece of her mind would have been priceless to see.''

C-3PO hesitated, not sure how to respond to that comment. He had to say that he was on the opposite end of that opinion. He would never want to cross paths with an enraged Leia, no matter how well he knew her. It was a confrontation he would happily step away from.

''What was it?'' Poe suddenly asked.

''I beg your pardon?''

''The message, the one General Organa wanted to give me. The reason you called me over,'' He jested, eyeing the Droid quizzically.

''Oh yes, do forgive me, my hard drive was elsewhere,'' C-3PO explained. ''I think that you will happy to know that Finn is awake.''

At first, Poe didn't know how to react. He could literally feel his heart leap and any previous dark thought that clouded his mind subsided. After so many months of hoping that his friend would recover, there was a part of him that was saddened to think he would never awaken. However, to actually hear it, it left him feeling speechless. Once it fully processed, he was overcome with joy. ''He's awake?''

A deafening noise came from BB-8. The little droid reeled his spherical body back in shock, gasping at C-3PO before circling around the droid's leg with blistering speed.

Before C-3PO could say another word, Poe and BB-8 dashed right past him, looking like they were racing each other to see who would welcome Finn first. Dazed by their surprising pace, the droid called out as loud as he could. ''Commander Poe? I can show you the way…''

Still sprinting, Poe glanced over his shoulder. ''No need, I know the way. Thank you!''

There was no stopping them. The droid watched as the two disappeared amongst the crowd, heading for the medical facility. Feeling content at managing his duty, C-3PO started to walk in the opposite direction, attending to his other needs.

* * *

The peacefulness of the lavish room was abruptly broken as a panicked man burst through the doors. His elegant attire and the way he stiffened his body when he turned his eyes to his superior indicated that he was a man of dignity and class. However, one wouldn't think so when looking at him now. He panted heavily and looked as if he had run through all the corridors in the building. ''Governor Alrucca! Forgive me for intruding, but this is an urgent matter.''

Sitting at a desk, not even bothering to lift her head to look at the alarmed servant, a middle-aged woman focused her attention on the screen of her datapad. Her blonde hair braided over her left shoulder, and wearing a sophisticated uniform with multiple badges of honour hooked on her chest heralded prestige.

With a flick of her wrist, the holograms floating from her datapad disappeared and she lifted her head.

She didn't say a word, so the servant took this as a sign to not prattle. He swiftly bowed, almost collapsing from exhaustion. ''General Leia Organa is here. She wishes to speak with you.''

Her brows lifted slightly and an amused grin slithered over her face. ''My, my, this is unexpected. Did she say what this was about?''

The servant opened his mouth to answer, quickly silencing himself with the governor held her hand up.

''Actually, I know what this is about,'' She stated in a hushed tone, a flicker of annoyance evident. ''Send her in.''

Quickly, the servant rushed out of the door. His bounding footsteps echoed in the hallway, even as the doors shut behind him.

Alone for the moment, the governor cupped her hands together and rested her head on them, deep in thought. To say she was surprised that Leia would be here, willing to speak to her of her own free will was an understatement. However, as the dawn of her Armada's deployment got closer and closer, she should have expected a visit from one of her fiercest rivals on the subject.

She looked outside of the window, overlooking the towering skyscrapers that lined up over Arkanis's horizon, many of them disappearing above the dark clouds. Brief flashes of lightning illuminated the sky, with torrential rainfall pouring down. This planet was a shiny shell that formed around a dark underbelly. One that was trying break free from a past filled with treachery. Once under the control of the Empire, and still carrying those loyal to the First Order, the New Republic knew that much work had to be done to snuff out the deceivers.

Hearing the sounds of footsteps approaching, Governor Alrucca turned away from the window, staring at her hands. Without noticing, she had tangled her fingers so firmly, they turned red and aggrieved her greatly.

Relaxing, she rose out of her chair and walked around her desk just as General Leia strutted in confidently. The servant was on hand to shut the door and wait outside, leaving the two women alone in the room.

''Governor Cera Alrucca,'' Leia titled her head. ''I hope that I'm not interrupting you.''

Cera shook her head and grinned. ''Not at all, this is just very surprising. You don't usually grace the New Republic with an appearance, whether it be an invited guest or otherwise.''

''I felt that this was an event I couldn't look past.''

''No, you wouldn't want to hide away from what is without a doubt the greatest military achievement in the Republic's history. Especially since your family knows all about hiding away.'' Cera stirred.

Rather than take offence, Leia scoffed. ''I see your tongue and wit is as sharp as ever…like a stormtrooper's aim.''

Silence filled the room. Cera was eerily quiet and seemed to be inspecting Leia. There was almost something mischievous about the way she regarded the general, playing mind games and seeing if she could get her to crack.

Finally, Cera smiled at her. A poignant smile. ''General, we've made it no secret that our opinions differ. _Greatly_ differ. However, I do want to make it clear that I wish you no ill, and hope that you see what a great service the Armada will do for the galaxy.''

Leia's smirk widened. ''I love how you know why I've come here, despite making no such mention of your Armada.''

''Because I know that is why you're here.'' Cera suddenly snapped. Her patience was wearing thin by this point. ''If you're trying to convince me otherwise, you will have more luck conjuring for the end of all wars using the Force. You may have convinced a few governors throughout the New Republic, but all that's done is slow down the inevitable and put us at risk of a renewed attack by the First Order.''

Leia didn't hesitant, answering vigilantly. ''I think that your declaration regarding this Armada is putting the galaxy at a far greater risk than I ever could with a few words.''

''Words can be dangerous with your kind.'' Cera spat.

Leia waved her hands dismissively. ''No, words can be dangerous with any kind. And hopeful with any kind. Every voice has a place and can be heard giving the right circumstances. I'm not against hearing the words of others, no matter how aggressive. It's when people in power attempt to snuff out those voices. That's what troubles me.''

The governor acknowledged Leia's words carefully. ''What are you implying? General.''

''There are things that do not sit well with me about this Armada. From the rapidness of its development to the message it's sending to the people.''

''A message that we're fighting for peace and stability against tyrannical forces?''

''A message that we're fighting tyranny by becoming tyrannical ourselves! I can't question your reputation…''

Before the general finished her sentence, Cera stepped forward, closing the gap between them. ''That's right, you can't! You may have had connections to both sides during the Galactic Civil War, but I also fought through it, since before I could even speak. So, if you're trying to indicate that my Armada is some kind of oppressive dictatorship, I strongly disagree. Because, I know what an oppressive dictatorship is, and that's not what this Armada will be.''

Leia remained silent, allowing Cera to speak her mind and get what she needed to off her chest. No matter how much the governor barked, or how stern her tone became, Leia didn't falter. ''As I was saying, I can't question your reputation. However, after we witnessed what happened to the Hosmian System, I'm concerned that with your Armada, the New Republic will want to enact vengeance using the same means.''

Cera narrowed her eyes. ''Are you actually suggesting we'll use the Armada to destroy systems as the First Order did?''

''The thought had crossed my mind, yes,'' Leia confirmed.

''I told you, this would not be an oppressive dictatorship…''

''You don't have to call it oppressive. As long as you claim you're bringing peace, you can call it whatever you want and the people on your side won't question it. Instead of dousing the flames with water, you are fighting fire with fire whilst claiming you're not using fire. If you don't realise that soon, then it will be too late to stop the galaxy from burning.''

Raindrops patting against the window filled the void of silence that filled the room yet again. As the second passed, the vicious expression plastered over Cera's face slowly vanished. Now, to Leia's bewilderment, she felt disappointment radiate from the governor. ''General Organa, I respect you greatly. I do actually support what you and your Resistance stand for. We're both fighting the same enemy. With that being said, considering who is working for the enemy, I think your feelings about the First Order and this Armada might be clouded.''

For the first time, Leia kept her mouth shut.

Just when it seemed like she was getting under her skin, Cera decided to twist the knife a little deeper. This was her domain. She didn't want the general to storm in and think that she had control over her. ''Is your son still missing?'' Cera taunted. ''Or how about your brother? Where was the Jedi when the First Order destroyed trillions of lives in the blink of an eye?''

Leia dared not shift her gaze away from Cera's eyes, afraid that if she did so, she would not find a way to turn back. Her heart was heavy and she felt the sting of tears threatening to fill her eyes. This was a discussion she couldn't win with anyone because she was in the dark just as everyone else was. When they found the map, she thought that it would be the first step to a brighter future. But the longer Luke remained missing, along with Rey, the harder it was for her to win her battles with the governors and senates of the New Republic.

Feeling satisfied to see Leia keep quiet, Cera walked over to her desk. She typed in a few words and the room darkened as the windows were sealed. Before Leia could question her actions, a bright hologram flashed from the governor's desk. It revealed the blueprints for a massive fleet of ships, enough to shadow even the largest of planets. Cruisers, fighters, and space stations of various shapes and sizes drifted along, each proudly marked with the flag of the New Republic. Many of the smaller ships soared over the nearby planets, and they rotated before displaying flags of their own, marking new territory for the New Republic.

To see it on a hologram was one thing, to imagine this Armada on full display in the flesh would be a breath-taking sight. However, seeing this plan in motion, it left the two woman feeling contrasting emotions. Leia only saw the dark shadows that the Armada left in its wake, while Cera's eyes gazed over the many systems that would be considered safe under her control.

''That is why I commissioned the development of this Armada.'' She said to Leia. ''We can't rely on old tales of heroes to use the Force and save us. We need a fleet willing to do what is necessary to wipe out all those who will bring disorder and terror. A fleet greater than any that has come before it. If the Empire or the First Order can develop these superweapons, why can't we?''

With the simple press of a button, the hologram disappeared and the curtain binds lifted upwards. The light pouring in highlighted the shadows of the running droplets on the window.

Cera waited for Leia's response, wondering what the general had to say now.

Finally, Leia stared back with a grim expression. ''I can see that you won't waver. I've said my piece.''

''As have I. So, if there's nothing else, I bid you farewell.'' She waved her hand, gesturing towards the door.

With as much respect as she could muster, Leia bowed and turned heel to leave the room. Whether or not Cera deserved that respect, it was up for debate. She spoke of safety while provoking the idea of domination. It left Leia feeling uneasy.

Leia opened the door. The servant outside helped the rest of the way, but she didn't leave immediately. She turned around to address Cera one final time. ''You should be careful how you go about with this Armada. You're a governor, but you're speaking like an emperor.''

Cera's lip twitched. Keeping her composure, she sat on her chair and rested her arms on her desk. Locking eyes with Leia, Cera's expression darkened. ''There are no more Emperors. There are no more rebellions. And there are no more Jedi. This is a new age, one that will see peace and stability reign throughout the galaxy. And when we capture Kylo Ren, he will pay for his crimes. There is no stopping that.''

The knot in Leia's stomach tightened, as she felt anger boil inside of her. She left the room and headed back to her ship before her emotions betrayed her and she would end up saying something she would regret.

On the one hand, the governor was right, Ben should answer for his horrible acts. However, Leia couldn't bear the thought of him being taken away before she got a chance to see him again, to look him in the eyes for the first time in years and see if there was any part of her son that was still alive in the monster that Snoke had created.

* * *

Finn was almost afraid to peer over his shoulder, in fear that he would see the damage Kylo Ren inflicted on him.

The doctor treating him, Lira, rolled a soft sponge, spewed in some kind of blue gel, over the scar running down his back. Finn couldn't stop a hiss from passing through his lips. He clutched the side of the bed, hoping that the pain would pass quickly. The doctor had warned him that while this substance would help him heal and prevent skin infection, it would also be excruciating to sit through. A sharp bolt of pain coursed throughout his body, starting from a light sting, but once the healing gel started to take effect, that's when the real agony started.

He let out a few shaky breaths and, to the Lira's surprised, resisted the urge to curse out or throw some kind of vulgar remark. The doctor noted a few smaller scars and cuts on his back and shoulders that had long-since healed. While Kylo's mark was the largest, each painted a picture of Finn going through something like this multiple times in his past with the First Order.

Growing up in their ranks, trips to medical bays would be a common occurrence, and it was most likely unwise to speak ill when being treated.

Clearing her throat, the doctor spoke with a gentle tone. ''Just a little bit longer. You'll thank me in the long run.''

Finn huffed. ''No need, I can thank you right now.''

''That would be very kind of you. However, once I am done, I would advise remaining as still as possible for a few more minutes. Otherwise, this substance won't take effect correctly and you put yourself at risk of infection.''

Finn almost nodded, but thought best not too, especially after just being given advice not to move. It didn't help his nerves. He wanted to heal as quickly as possible. ''Why wasn't this applied while I was out?''

''It actually was, when you were first brought in. However, because you were touch-and-go, we couldn't risk applying this to your body without knowing if you would have a negative reaction.''

''I suppose you don't get many cases with treating lightsabre wounds,'' Finn mumbled.

An amused huff came from Lira. ''You are actually the first I've treated. Broken bones, torn limbs, and incisions from blaster fire…I've seen it all. A lightsabre scar? Those are rare. Especially with those becomes becoming a rarity, along with those who can masterfully wield them.''

''I got to use a lightsabre,'' Finn added excitedly. ''I wouldn't say I was a master at it, but I think I did a good job on my first try.''

''I'm sure you did,'' Lira replied. The sensation on his back still burned so intensely, he hadn't realised she removed the sponge.

Hearing her stand and move about, Finn tried not to turn around. The smallest inkling of movement was enough to send another surge of blood running through his entire body. Sweat poured down his forehead and his bare chest heaved with every pant. After years of seeing the damage that a lightsabre could do, Finn was still astounded to find out just how painful a cut from the blade really was. However, he couldn't remember what it felt like at the moment of the strike. It had overwhelmed him so much that for a split-second he felt the heat when Kylo slashed it at him, and then nothing. It was as easy as drifting to sleep.

Hanging his head over slouched shoulders, he flinched when he felt Lira dab a wet cloth over his face, rubbing the sweat away. ''You're going to be okay.'' She said decisively. ''Just don't go on anymore crazy rescue missions anytime soon.''

Before he could comment, something screeching in the background caught his attention. It only took him a second to recognise the frantic beeping and whistling, as it got louder and louder, heralding his arrival. An ocean of memories washed over him, and a smile tugged at his lips. ''BB-8?'' He whispered to himself.

On cue, the little droid whizzed through the door, twisting his head around until he found Finn. His body bounced slightly as he powered over to Finn's bed, almost bumping into Lira's feet. The doctor stepped back, puzzled to see the droid burst into the room.

BB-8 hummed a chorus of noises, unable to keep himself still, rolling around excitedly. That excitement rubbed off on Finn, who flashed a happy smile. ''Am I glad to see you!''

Another loud beep indicated the feeling was mutual.

Not long afterwards, Poe entered the room and stopped when he saw Finn sitting up and glanced over in his direction. ''You're awake!'' The pilot beamed.

Finn couldn't hide his delight seeing a familiar face. He wanted to jump up and greet his friend, but couldn't pry himself off the bed.

Poe rushed over, however, Lira stepped in between them, holding her hand out and stopping him from taking another step. ''I wouldn't recommend that,'' She turned back to Finn. ''Not unless you want to stay in that bed for a few more days.''

Finn swallowed. ''No thanks, I want to get out of here as soon as possible.''

She chuckled at his comment and threw another glare towards Poe. To get her point across, she gestured towards the sponge lying on the table nearby. ''I've just applied some Bacta-Lit. He'll be okay to move in about half an hour. For now, just don't work him too hard. I'll give you both a moment to catch up.'' With that said, Lira picked up her datapad and left the room.

Finn's throat was dry as he breathed, trying to not strain himself too much and let the medicine do its thing. He stared at Poe, meeting eye contact with him. The pilot walked over, standing beside his bed. BB-8 rolled nearby, still singing with happiness in his own unique dialect. Finn opened his mouth few times without really thinking of what to say, so thought best to wait for his friend to start the conversation.

''How are you feeling?'' Poe asked after a long moment.

Shaking his head and sighing loudly, Finn was still unsure of what to say, how could he answer that? He was still trying to wrap everything around his head and understand what he's been through. ''I'm awake…so that's a start.''

Poe nodded, seeing that this was a lot for the young man to take in. ''Well, you're right about that. Trust me, I've been in this place more times than I'd like to count. Recovery takes time. In fact, last time I was here was after you and I got separated on Jakku.''

''Oh man, Jakku…'' Finn groaned but with a smile this time. He could still feel the heat from that planet burning against his skin and the sand nestled underneath his fingernails. His life truly changed on that planet, and it such a short space of time. Disturbing visions of the First Order slaughtering a village plagued his mind. It angered him to have been there and not do anything about it, but also terrified him because he was reminded of how powerless he was. After leaving and helping Rey on their quest, after helping the Resistance, and even after using Luke Skywalker's lightsabre, he was still no match for their might.

When not in the First Order, he still felt insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Realising he had retreated into his thoughts and left the moment to drag into silence, he returned his gaze to Poe. ''Everything still feels like it happened yesterday.''

''In your eyes, it did happen yesterday,'' Poe quipped.

''But it's been…'' He paused. ''Has it really been five months?''

Poe nodded.

Somehow, Finn felt humiliation sink into his stomach. He knew that he shouldn't feel this way. He wanted to believe that he had helped the Resistance in their fight against the First Order. But he now had a chance to look at the bigger picture. He had helped in one battle while missing out on so much of what happened in the aftermath. It made him look away, ridden with guilt and shame. ''There's so much I've missed.''

Sensing the doubt coming from Finn, like smoke rising from the fire, Poe crouched down until he was eye level with his comrade. The pilot exchanged a quick glance with BB-8. Even the small droid could recognise the defeated look on Finn and felt compelled to roll closer. ''Actually,'' Poe started. ''Thanks to you, the First Order haven't been as active.''

If Poe thought that his words would help Finn, he was sadly mistaken. With a shake of his head, Finn continued dolefully. ''I didn't do much. It was all Rey. She stopped Kylo Ren. She's the hero.''

''She couldn't have done it without you.''

Hearing that, Finn felt somewhat better. His heart leapt when he thought about Rey, imagining her voice and her smile. Serenity swept him up and made him forget about his pain and his doubt. The longer he thought about her, the prouder he felt seeing how far she went. ''She found Luke Skywalker.''

Poe creased his brows. ''You know?''

Finn sharply turned, his smile slowly starting to return. ''General Organa told me before she left. They finished the map, and Rey went after him. Is it true?''

For some reason, Poe seemed conflicted to answer. ''Yeah…yeah, she did. Not too long after you were brought in, she went to find him.''

Finn could feel that something was wrong. It wasn't hard to read from his tone. Not to mention the way he seemed to avoid eye contact after mentioning Rey after being unable to tear his eyes away from Finn since he entered the room. A sad sounding beep he faintly heard coming from BB-8 left Finn to believe that something was troubling, and General Leia had either lied or left out a large part of the story.

He was afraid to ask his next question, but he needed to know. ''Where is Rey now?''

His question immediately changed the atmosphere in the room. Poe locked eyes with Finn, who stared at him with a look of pure grit and determination. ''What exactly did the general tell you?''

Finn frowned and needed a moment to remember the exact words he had been given. It was possible the antibiotics he had received were numbing his mind. Eventually, he recalled what he had been told. ''She told me that Rey was fine. That she was with Luke Skywalker and that they were both safe.''

Poe had doubts on whether or not he should say anything. If General Organa had told him this story, there had to be a reason, and knowing Finn, it was probably to stop him from jumping in before thinking clearly. He would be going against her wishes. However, Finn wasn't going to let this go, and if he didn't hear it from Poe, he was going to hear it from someone else.

Afraid that he would regret this, Poe sighed and whispered. ''Rey and Luke never returned.''

''What?'' Finn gasped, his stomach beginning to churn.

There was no turning back now, so Poe continued. ''Rey went to find Luke Skywalker. He was hiding on the planet Ahch-To. But after a few days, we lost contact with her and the R2 unit she was with. We haven't heard anything from them since. They're missing.''

**To Be Continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like, you can follow my original stories on Wattpad. My penname is Thomas-LF. Thank you for your time, if you do read them, I hope you enjoy them.


	3. Chapter III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing (unfortunately). All rights and characters in this fic belong to Disney, Lucasfilm, George Lucas and other respective owners and creators. I gain no profit from this. It's purely for fun. I only own my OC's.
> 
> If you enjoyed this story and want to know more about my work, you can like the Rurrlock-God of Power Facebook page.

**Chapter III**

''Rey's missing?''

Finn bolted upright in shock, halted as a sharp pain ripped through his back. He hissed and clutched his shoulder, on the verge of mumbling a word Phasma had used many times before to mock him. Closing his eyes and backing down, he almost missed the bed. Thankfully, Poe reacted in the nick of time, carefully guiding his friend until he was sitting and resting.

A few heavy pants escaped Finn before he glanced towards Poe. The ex-Stormtrooper's eyes were wide and searching. ''Why did they go missing? Were they attacked?''

Poe shook his head. ''No, not as far as we know. They just…stopped communicating with us.''

''But why?''

''That's the big mystery, buddy,'' Poe said grimly.

Finn stared around the medical room, dropping his shoulders and feeling his heart race towards dangerous levels. ''Why would Leia lie to me?''

There was a moment's hesitation from Poe. He kept a firm but gentle grip on Finn's shoulder, feeling the younger man push back against him. ''Probably to stop you from doing something stupid.''

''I need to find her…''

''Like that. Something stupid, like that.''

Finn turned sharply to Poe. ''After everything that Rey has done for the Resistance, we can't just leave her out there alone…''

''She's with the Luke Skywalker.'' Poe grinned with a gleam in his eyes. ''If you're worried about her safety, I say she's in capable hands…''

''That's not the point,'' Finn cut in, his voice filled with sorrow and frustration. Between breaths, he was biting his tongue to hold in the pain that was surging throughout his wounded body. The Bacta-Lit was either not working at all, or doing its job appropriately because Finn's face twisted in pain from a stinging sensation. His head dropped into his hands as he rubbed the sweat building across his brow.

Waiting for Finn collect his thoughts, Poe stared intently at his friend. ''What is the point?''

Slowly, Finn raised his chin and turned to Poe. ''She's been alone for as long as she can remember. No one should ever have to go through that. I left her behind once, and I can't do that to her again.''

There was a slight twitch at the end of Poe's lip, causing it to curl upwards. As gently as he could, he patted Finn on the shoulder, stopping when he saw Finn still react to the taps. ''You'll see each other again. She wouldn't have disappeared without a reason.''

Finn grasped those hopeful words and refused to let them go. He nodded and breathed through his nose deeply, breaking the silence in the empty room. ''Hasn't anyone else gone to Ahch-To? The resistance must have sent a search party of some kind?''

''A few days after Rey stopped reporting to us, a squadron travelled to the planet. They couldn't a trace of them. No sign of Rey or Luke Skywalker. Even Chewbacca and R2 were missing and the Millennium Falcon was gone. They could be on the other side of the galaxy as far as we know.''

Finn was unable to suppress a groan from slipping past his dry lips. A sense of guilt and hopelessness overwhelmed him, causing him to feel small and weak. The scar on his back seemed to deepen.

Glancing downwards, Poe noticed Finn's fist clench tightly over his knee. Feeling just as helpless, the pilot gathered his resolve and shuffled closer to Finn. ''I know that you want to help her. But it's out of our hands for now. Like I said, she wouldn't disappear without reason. She'll come back, along with Luke.''

A quiet snort came from Finn. ''I never believed in Luke Skywalker. He was always a myth to me.''

Poe smirked. ''Well, you'll have time to marvel at the legend when he returns.''

As much as Finn was actually looking forward to that moment, all he cared about was seeing Rey standing next to Luke, safe and well.

Satisfied seeing the tension fade slightly, Poe straightened before standing. ''I need to get going. Duty calls.''

Half-listening, Finn nodded, his mind elsewhere. It only registered when he noticed Poe turning heel to leave what the pilot had said. Desperately trying to ignore whatever pain he knew was about to swell over him, Finn practically leapt off the bed and stood with his two feet planted firmly on the ground. Poe turned, caught completely off-guard and left bewildered as Finn stumbled towards him. ''Let me come with you.''

''Finn, you don't even know…''

''I don't care. Whatever it is, I want to help. I've been left out of the action for too long. I need to do what I can to help the resistance.''

Poe heard a small voice in the back of his mind telling him to instruct Finn to stand down. However, the cheers he wanted to bestow to the fiery fighter drowned that voice. He missed the grit and determination shown by this young man, who came from a past show dark and horrifying that Poe recoiled at the mere thought of it. Kylo Ren gave him a small taste…right before Finn arrived to rescue him. Who knows how many times Finn had witnessed such terror, or suffered through it himself?

A beaming smile broke out across the pilot's face. ''Welcome aboard, buddy.''

Finn broke out into a happy and fulfilled laugh before instantly poising himself and hoping to keep a professional manner about him. ''Thank you.''

Poe titled his head, gesturing towards the door. ''Wait here. I need to do a few things and then I'll come back to get you. In the meantime, get yourself ready.''

''Ready for what?''

''We're going to find out what the First Order are after.''

* * *

After seeing to other matters and returning to collect Finn, they had one last issue to deal with.

It took a bit of coaxing from Poe to get Finn around Lira. She barked angrily at the pilot and demanded that Finn is seated back inside the medical facility to rest and recover. Unfortunately, for her, she'd given them leverage via explaining the healing time of the Bacta-Lit. Before the arguments could escalate to a heat that rivalled a lightsabre, Finn's scar was sealed up and responding well to the treatment. It wasn't perfect or pretty, but it gave Finn the belief that he was ready to step back out into the world. Coaxing the protective doctor, stating his wish to return to help the resistance, Finn was allowed to pass.

''I think she likes you,'' Poe chuckled as he and Finn rushed down the corridor and out into the docking bay of the resistance base.

Finn spun around, looking at the base and then back to Poe. ''I don't think so. She was just making sure that I don't end up back in there.''

''No one wants to see you back in there. I'm glad to have you back out here. It'll be our first mission together.''

''I'm ready. Whatever comes our way, I'm ready to face it!'' He said passionately.

The enthusiasm was infectious…perhaps, too much so. Poe could see the boundless energy coming from Finn. The young rebel was eager to step back into the action like he never left. That left a troubling feeling bubbling inside the pilot. He stopped and turned to his friend. ''Don't think that you have anything to prove. You've more than earned yourself a place among us.''

Finn nodded. ''Right, sorry.''

They marched onwards. Finn gazed at his surroundings, admiring the multitude of resistance ships soaring in and out of the docking bay. Each of them was sleek and primed for battle. The sound of their engines roared with mighty power and caused Finn's bones to shake. Something about them felt different from flying a TIE fighter.

They seemed more…freeing. With nothing to hold back a pilot except for the distance of the stars and the pilot's willingness to travel between those stars.

Not wanting to fall behind, Finn hurried behind Poe as the best pilot in the galaxy strutted knowingly to their destination. ''How many of us are going?'' He asked curiously.

''You, me, and I'm bringing along two from my squadron. Jessika Pava and Temmin Wexley. You can call the latter Snap. He's a bit of a stick in the backside of a Bantha, but he's alright once you get to know him.''

Finn furrowed his brows and sprinted forward briefly until he was marching side-by-side with Poe. ''Is that all we're going to bring? What if we're ambushed?''

''We're hoping it doesn't come to that,'' Poe replied morosely. ''The fewer of us going, the less likely we'll be of being spotted by the First Order. We're heading to a planet where they were shipping something under our noses. There's a good chance they'll come back to collect what was stolen from them.''

''Stolen? By who?''

''So many questions and so little answers,'' He turned to an agitated looking Finn. ''Trust me, buddy, I don't like this as much as you do. I'm normally a friend to anyone who goes against the First Order, but until we know the full details of what's going on, we have to always watch our backs.''

''You can count on me. I've got your back.''

''I know you do.'' Poe smiled.

In a few short minutes, Poe slowed down as they approached a large, bulky-looking cargo ship. The first thing that stuck out for Finn when inspecting the ship was how nothing appeared to stick out about it. It was unassuming, clunky and was a far cry from the majestic ships proudly waving the Resistance banner. Then again, if Poe was addressing this like an undercover mission, it was the perfect ship for them. It seemed capable of housing at least a dozen more passengers, with enough space for anything that would be in need of transportation. Twin engines on either side of the mass bucket of bolts were in the midst of repairs from a couple of service droids and one woman checking that everything was in place.

''Jess!'' Poe called out to the woman, who turned and waved at her squadron leader. ''How's she looking?''

Jessika patted her grimy hands, causing puffs of dust to drift into the air. Her uniform was discarded, replaced with a casual garb that had Finn believing she was just a lowly ship engineer and not part of Poe's team. ''Scruffy, sturdy and rough around the edges.''

''Good,'' Poe grinned. ''That's just the way we need it.''

Before she could say anything else to him, Jess noticed the younger man standing next to Poe. It took a few seconds for realisation to kick in, having never seen the man awake and standing before. She patted her hands on her legs and rushed over to greet the newcomer. ''You must be Finn, the First Order runaway that Poe never stopped talking about.''

Finn's gaze floated back and forth between Jess and Poe. ''Uh…yeah, wait, me? Talk about me?''

She extended her arm and grabbed Finn's hand, shaking it excitedly. ''Of course, he needed to explain who could possibly convince Poe to give away his prized jacket.''

Poe stepped forward, smiling amusedly at her. ''Okay, you might be over exaggerating a tad.''

''No, I think I'm exaggerating precisely.'' She winked with a teasing tone in her voice.

Feeling that this was a battle he couldn't win, Poe strutted around her and headed towards the opening compartment door of the cargo ship. ''Speaking of, I need to change into something less conspicuous. Is the ship good to go?''

''She's only waiting for you.''

''Then I won't keep her waiting too long,'' Poe called out before disappearing into the ship.

Standing alone, without Poe around to guide him, Finn suddenly realised how out of place he felt walking around the resistance base once again. He barely had any time to formally introduce himself or engage in pleasantries, as he was so concerned with saving Rey from Kylo Ren and the Starkiller base. Walking around, he felt eyes burning into him from the glares of those who still didn't fully trust him. He couldn't blame him, but that didn't mean he liked being judged without being heard.

Thankfully, he needn't worry about that with Jessika, who turned and greeted him warmly like welcoming an old friend. ''Are you coming along for the ride?''

Finn froze and nodded affirmatively. ''I am, ma'am.''

Jess giggled lightly. ''You don't have to be so formal. We're all on the same side here. Right?''

''Yeah…'' He shifted awkwardly. ''I'm Finn, by the way.''

''Jessika Pava. You can call me Jess, everyone does. At least, I hope everyone does.'' She greeted. ''I have to commend you.''

''On what?''

''You haven't been on your feet for a few months now and already heading out for a mission. You're a fighter.''

''I am,'' Finn rushed. ''I want to take this fight to the First Order as soon as possible.''

''Well, I personally have had enough fighting for one day. I'm hoping that we can get all the info that we can and get back home before we find ourselves in real trouble.''

Finn didn't know what to say. He wanted to find some way to prove himself and give his new team a reason to trust him and show that he could pull his own weight.

However, something plagued him from deep inside.

Distant voices and images erupted deep within his subconscious. He saw First Order stormtrooper helmets. Hundreds, potentially thousands of them, were all lined up accordingly and staring at him. Out of the crowd, Finn could see one that was different from the others. Three thin trails of blood clawed down the helmet and a crack began to grow. The mask threatened to break, as Finn was unable to drag himself out of the nightmarish vision.

Just when the mask erupted and broke, Phasma's voice exploded with a lingering echo and vengeful fury. _''FN-2187!''_

Under the shattered helmet was Finn's bloody face with white eyes and his mouth agape.

''Finn.'' Jessika barked. Startling Finn and pulling him back to reality.

Feeling jolted and almost buckling under his weak knees, Finn cleared his throat. ''Wh-what?''

''Are you okay? You seemed to fall into another world there.''

''No, I mean, I…'' He hesitated, not sure how or if he could give her answers. ''I think my head's still…I'm still getting my bearings.''

It wasn't a lie. The pounding in his head left him feeling numb and sick. He feared that he would slip back into the unknown darkness. Luckily for him, it didn't come to that and he was able to smile reassuringly at Jessika.

The young pilot glanced over Finn's shoulder and spotted someone else walking towards them. She beamed and rushed over to him, causing Finn to follow her and meet the newcomer. ''Finn, this is Temmin Wexley. But, he likes being called Snap.''

Snap was a large, slightly more imposing figure in comparison to Jess that left Finn feeling on edge. He was wearing the same attire that Jessika wore, though not quite as grungy. Snap eyed Finn interestedly before offering his hand. ''Good to finally meet you face-to-face.''

Feeling relieved, Finn quickly accepted Snap's hand, shaking it keenly. ''Good to meet you too.''

Jess nudged Snap with her elbow. ''Finn's going to be coming along on our secret mission.''

Though her voice was friendly enough, Snap's expression darkened as he narrowed his eyes. Finn shuffled his feet, waiting for a barrage to spew out from Snap's mouth. Instead, the irritable pilot tramped around Finn and towards their cargo ship. ''Don't think this'll be easy. We're hoping we won't find any trouble, but if we do, you're going to need to defend yourself. We can't be falling behind because we need to help any loose fodder.''

Jess rolled her eyes. ''That's a harsh way of spelling things out for the new recruit.''

''It's the truth,'' He barked at her before turning back to Finn. ''I mean it. Every mission is important for the resistance. We can't be watching your back if you're cowering against a wall.''

Finn stared at Snap for a short time before looking towards Jess. She was clearly annoyed with her comrade's tone but understanding that it needed to be said. ''I hear you loud and clear,'' Finn said.

A faint smile crept on Snap's face. ''Good.''

Jess bounded forward, wrapping an arm around Snap's shoulder and leaning against him. ''You two are getting along already.''

''Better than you and I ever have.'' Snap glared.

Suddenly, Poe's charming voice called out. ''Come now, be honest. You two love each other.''

They all turned to see Poe emerge from the cargo ship, standing by the open door and zipping up his jacket. The disguise was flawless. The three-squadron members wouldn't look out of place working around the galaxy. In his hand, Poe carried another set of the work uniform. As Finn was about to question him, Poe tossed it towards the young man. Finn stumbled back and caught it, holding the uniform up against his body and noting that it appeared to be his size. The two shared a knowing glance, with Finn bowing his head slightly, enough to thank Poe for the gesture.

Jess huffed and playfully bumped her fist against Snap's arm before walking into the cargo ship. ''He wishes I loved him like that. But he knows that he's not my type.''

''Thank my lucky stars,'' Snap grumbled, following closely behind.

Once they were inside, Finn hurried along, stepping onto the platform and ready to enter. Poe raised his arm, stopping Finn and whispered in his ear. ''Last chance. Don't push yourself. There's no shame in resting for a little while longer.''

Finn looked at Poe, locking eyes with him and never looking away. ''I can do this. I want to do this.''

Poe smirked. ''You are a good man, Finn. Don't ever doubt that.''

Their moment was interrupted with Jess returning and staring questioningly at Poe. ''What are we going to do if they speak another language?''

Without missing a beat, Poe offered an encouraging grin. ''I have a plan for that.''

''Commander Dameron? Commander Poe?'' C-3PO called out, hastening towards the ship fearing that they would take off before he could reach them.

''Right on cue,'' Poe murmured so that the droid wouldn't hear him. He turned and walked over to greet the golden, protocol droid. ''What do you have to report?''

''I just wanted to inform you that I have made contact with General Leia. She is now aware that you are setting off for Kuat.''

''That's excellent to hear,'' Poe replied. Pausing briefly, he folded his arms over his chest and emitted an entertained grin. ''Do you have any other matters to attend to?''

''None at the moment,'' C-3PO answered promptly. ''My daily duties have been accomplished. I pride myself on punctuality. Did you not ask me that question earlier?''

''I did, I just wanted to double-check,'' Poe gestured towards the ship. ''Come on then.''

C-3PO flinched. ''What?''

''Kuat is infamous for trade deals. There'll be many different languages spoken there. We need a protocol droid with your calibre to assist us.''

The droid's apprehension was momentarily subsided at the kind words. Almost bashfully, C-3PO soaked up the praise. ''My calibre? Oh, I appreciate your opinion, Commander Poe. However, I am fluent in only six million forms of communication. Many of the newer protocol models are…''

''We're not looking for a newer model,'' Poe interrupted. ''You'll do just fine. Come on.''

He didn't give C-3PO a chance to argue, turning and striding back into the ship while Jess watched on in amusement. ''Welcome aboard!'' She cheered.

''Oh…'' C-3PO sighed.

Despite him only being a droid, and not able to express emotion in the same way Finn could, the ex-stormtrooper empathised greatly. Swallowing his worries and keeping them locked inside, Finn walked into the ship and searched for a place to get changed.

As for Poe, he took his rightful seat at the front of the ship, ready to steer his comrades into a new adventure. It might not be a smooth as an X-Wing. But for the time being, he gripped the steering gears tightly and nothing else other than this ship mattered to him. He signalled that they were ready to take off, with Jess and Snap finding seats in the back.

On the outside, the maintenance droids working on the ship glided away, allowing it space to prepare for departure. BB-8 whirled and beeped with excitement as the ball-like droid rolled between C-3PO's legs and inside of the ship.

With the door about to close, C-3PO wobbled forward and entered. ''Oh dear, how is it that even without R2 by my side I still end up being dragged into this madness?''

Once everyone was on board. Poe set the ship in motion and in a few seconds, they lifted off the ground and rocketed above the heavens and into the vastness of space.

**To Be Continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like, you can follow my original stories on Wattpad. My penname is Thomas-LF. Thank you for your time, if you do read them, I hope you enjoy them.


	4. Chapter IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing (unfortunately). All rights and characters in this fic belong to Disney, Lucasfilm, George Lucas and other respective owners and creators. I gain no profit from this. It's purely for fun. I only own my OC's.
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter and want to know more about my work, you can like the Rurrlock-God of Power Facebook page.

**Chapter IV**

Finn kept to himself. Sitting in the lounge of the scrappy cargo ship, he listened carefully to the sound of the ship hurtling through lightspeed. It groaned loudly, causing tremors to roll down its corridors and leaving Finn feeling slightly uneasy. No matter how much Poe reassured him that this bucket of bolts would hold through their travel, he felt uneasy standing up and needed a place for himself.

This was as quiet as it would get for him.

He reached over his shoulder and rubbed it, tending to a soreness that crawled up his back. The stiffness had subsided somewhat since they started their journey. However, it was difficult for him to ignore the pain that reminded him of that tremendous heat. Moving his hand back down, his fingers grazed over the scar cut above his chest. For a split-second, he could picture Kylo Ren standing before him. The bitter cold that reminded him of Starkiller base made his teeth chatter and heart freeze.

''Hey, there you are,'' Finn was dragged out of his thoughts as Jess hopped into view. She marched towards him, showing no sign of hesitation as she sat on the chair next to him, folding arms over the table. ''Just wanted to let you know we'll be coming onto Kuat in the next hour.''

''Thanks,'' Finn nodded and averted his gaze.

Tilting her head curiously, Jess leant closer and smirked. ''We're all friends on this ship, right?''

He turned around sharply to face her, looking worried for a moment. ''Of course. I mean, I am. Are you? No, that's not what I…'' He stammered before stopping his sentence completely, fearful of making a further fool of himself.

Jess offered him a sympathetic grin. ''Not easy to step back into the field after so long, is it?''

Finn sighed. ''It doesn't feel like that long ago for me.''

She allowed him a few seconds of silence. Finn was unsure if she was waiting for him to speak or if she was still considering her own words more carefully. After what felt like minutes, Jess opened her mouth to speak before closing it without uttering a single word.

Finn's eyes narrowed. ''What is it?''

There was clear hesitation in her mannerism. Her body arched back and forth. ''You don't have to answer this if you don't want to…''

His shoulder slouched and his eyes dropped to stare at the ground. ''You want to know about me…before I met Poe?''

Jess's face cringed and her fingers tied together. ''It's just…there's always been rumours of stormtroopers who turn their backs on the First Order, but you're the first I know who's lived this long.''

Finn huffed. ''I'm almost not sure anymore if that's a good or bad thing.''

''I consider it a great thing,'' Jess quickly interjected, causing Finn to look up and met her eyes.

The corner of his lip almost curled upwards, but something prevented him from feeling truly positive about his plight. The gates were unlocked and memories washed over him like a river. A heavy breath slipped past his lips and his head pounded. ''I was taken as a child. I don't know my parents. I can't even remember their faces. I wouldn't recognise them even if they were standing right in front of me.''

''That sounds horrible,'' Jess said softly.

''No matter how often or how hard they beat it into us, something about the First Order never felt right. We were told we were fighting for a great cause. To reconstruct the fragments of the Empire into something grander than before. Maybe that's why they kept me out of the field. I did everything they said. But they held me back because they knew. They knew that I could never truly become a soldier of the First Order. How could I?'' He growled, becoming noticeably more stressed the deeper he dived into his past. ''I had everything taken away from me and I was supposed to do the same to others? To children like me…''

His rant was halted instantly when he felt a comforting hand grasp his arm. Taking a few ragged breaths, he glanced over to see Jess leaning closer and never losing eye contact.

The ship trembled, causing them to sway in their chairs slightly. Finally having a moment of respite, Finn was given some time to gather his thoughts and calm himself. The cloud above his head was temporarily lifted.

He gulped and looked away ashamedly. ''Sorry.''

Jess slowly shook her head. ''Don't be. You've been through so much. You have every right to be angry.''

''I'm not angry,'' He whispered. ''I'm scared.''

The heartening look in Jess's eyes faltered. She realised there wasn't much else she could say or do to comfort the poor man. Bottling up her doubt, she carefully released her grip from Finn and scooted away, giving her enough space to stand back up. ''Don't think for a second that makes you weak.''

''It doesn't make me strong either.''

''Actually, I think it does,'' She smiled. ''Bravery comes from doing the right thing even when we're scared. It shows that while fear might call for us, it'll never actually claim us.''

Listening to her words, Finn felt somewhat lifted. Though, he knew that promising words could only hold the nightmares back for so long. Still, he gazed at Jess and grinned. ''Thanks for the talk.''

''Don't mention it,'' She replied happily, hoping that she'd given him the encouragement he needed. ''I'll let you know when we reach Kuat.''

Without another word, she turned heel and stepped through the automatic door and out of the lounge, leaving Finn alone once again.

It didn't remain that way for long, as C-3PO stumbled through another door and into the lounge. Finn turned in his seat and watched the bumbling droid walk around lost and without a cause. ''Can I help you?'' He inquired.

Startled by the voice, not realising someone was already occupying the room, C-3PO raised his arms and locked eyes with the ex-stormtrooper. ''Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I hope I'm not disturbing you.''

Finn shrugged his shoulders. ''Don't worry, there's nothing to disturb.''

''I see. Well, if solitude is what you're looking for, I can find someplace else to wait before we finally land.''

''You don't seem to like flying, do you?'' Finn questioned amusedly.

''I'm afraid not. It is embarrassing really. With all my experience with flying, it's something I should be accustomed to by this point.'' He sulked. Just when it looked like the golden-plated droid was ready to leave, he quickly turned back so that he was facing Finn. ''I must say that it is good to see you up and fully-functional once again, Master Finn.''

''Thanks, uh…'' Finn dragged.

''Oh, where are my manners,'' C-3PO gasped. ''I am C-3PO. Human-cyborg relations. And this is my counterpart…'' He shifted his body and extended his arm as if about to gesture to something or introduce someone by his leg. Realising that it was just he and Finn, C-3PO froze and lowered his arm slowly.

Silence filled the room. Finn's eyes moved back and forth between the protocol droid and where he was supposedly indicating. He watched C-3PO's body slump, only for a fragment of a moment. Despite not being able to read facial expressions from an emotionless droid on the surface, Finn felt a sense of pity extend from his being and over to the golden droid.

C-3PO finally turned to address Finn. ''Well, I was about to introduce you to my good friend, R2-D2. We're so used to being on these kinds of adventures together.''

Something clicked in the back of Finn's mind. His brow rose and he bolted up from his seat. ''Wait, the same R2 unit that had the map to Luke Skywalker?''

''The very same, yes.'' C-3PO nodded.

It was a delayed feeling, but Finn felt a surge of pain roll up his back after moving so quickly. He hissed and carefully lowered himself until he was sitting again. C-3PO started and then stopped, in two minds on what to do. Finn rested his head against his hand. ''I can't believe this is all real. Luke Skywalker is real.''

''He is very real. And a very good man,'' C-3PO stressed. ''When you meet him, you will see for yourself. I do hope that we find him soon. General Leia, I know, has been very anxious to meet him. Not quite the same anxiety as dealing with the New Republic's Armada, but nevertheless…''

''Armada?'' Finn interrupted, glancing perplexed at the droid. ''What Armada?''

C-3PO flinched. ''Oh, you don't know? I would have imagined you would have been briefed on the matter.''

Finn shook his head. ''I pretty much got on the ship the moment I woke up.''

''I would call that an exaggeration, except you humans are reckless enough of a species to do such a thing if you'll pardon my bluntness, Master Finn.''

Impatiently, Finn stood up from his chair, careful not to cause himself any more pain. ''What is the New Republic's Armada?''

''After the devastation the First Order caused the New Republic, it was decided that a new military force would be needed to combat this growing threat. It's all very overwhelming and exhausting if you ask me.''

Finn felt his heart pounding at a steadily growing pace. The only thing preventing them from being considered a true threat before Starkiller base were many politicians and New Republic supporters that saw them as nothing more than fragmented leftovers of the Empire. He knew the scale and power the First Oder possessed. He could only hope to imagine what kind of force would actually be confident enough to face them head-on.

''How large is this Armada?'' He asked.

''I'm afraid I have no official numbers to give you,'' C-3PO admitted. ''However, from what Governor Cera Alrucca has stated, she believes it to be enough to push back everything the First Order has.''

''Cera Alrucca? I've never heard of her.''

''She's a powerful figure from Arkanis. She was part of the Rebellion that fought the Empire a long time ago. She has been attempting to push through a bill proposing the idea of a galaxy-wide Armada…''

''Galaxy-wide?'' Finn gasped. His eyes bulged out of their sockets and beads of sweat began to form above his brow at the mere thought. ''That's insane.''

''Everyone thought so, hence why it never came to fruition until the First Order's attack on the Hosmian system. They rushed to put this Armada into motion, despite General Leia's protests. I would have thrown my protests in there too, but I doubt they would listen to me.''

Finn's face darkened. ''So…this Armada is ready?''

''I believe so.''

Feeling an invisible weight press down on his shoulders, Finn leant against a metal wall for support and gave himself a second or two to comprehend what he had been told. The only concepts he could use for comparison were whispers and legends of armies from days long gone. ''It sounds like this governor wants to fight the First Order with an empire of her own.''

''That's exactly how General Leia sees it too. Do you not think this Armada will help?''

''I don't know,'' Finn whispered. ''I've got a bad feeling about this.''

* * *

Within the cockpit, Poe kept his eyes firmly locked on the front, towards their destination. They rocketed across the stars, watching billions of lights soar into the distance.

Snap sat beside him, leaning back against the co-pilot seat and gazing downwards at the floor. His arms were folded over his chest and his finger drummed repeatedly. The two appeared to be lost in their own different worlds. One marvelled at the scenery while the other pondered deeply until there was nothing but his thoughts.

The door behind them slid open as Jess crouched in order to fit through, despite being the smallest of the crew onboard. She gripped the handlebar above her, keeping her feet pressed to the floor while swinging the top half of her body. ''You two are the life of the party.'' She mumbled sarcastically.

Poe smirked and looked over his shoulder at Jess. ''I thought that's why we kept you around? Ain't that right, Snap?''

His comrade didn't respond. Snap barely acknowledged them, keeping his head bowed and his arms folded.

While Poe was curious by his friend's action, Jess felt entertained. ''Uh oh, I think we finally broke him.''

Usually, Poe wouldn't miss the chance to play along. However, he noticed the hardened gaze in Snap's expression. Those steely eyes couldn't be ignored. The superior pilot shifted his seat so that he was fully facing Snap. That was enough to get him to glance up and lock eyes with Poe. Seeing how serious they were, even Jess's grin dropped.

''Why did you bring him along?'' Snap finally asked. His voice was barely louder than a whisper.

Poe's face twitched. ''Who? Finn?''

''No, the droid,'' He barked sarcastically. ''Who do you think I'm talking about?''

Jess's jaw almost dropped. A snarky comment begged to be used, but she was too shocked by the sudden shift in tone emitted from Snap. On the other hand, Poe barely flinched after his comrade's outburst. ''Don't tell me you still think Finn is with the First Order?''

''I'm considering it as an option.''

''He helped me escape from the First Order when he had no reason to…''

''Actually, he did,'' Snap cut through Poe's argument like a blade, silencing his commander. ''He might have been using you to get close to BB-8 so that they could obtain the map.''

''There's a hundred other ways they could have gotten a map…''

''And I sleep better at night thinking ahead of all one hundred of those ways. He could be a spy working for them…''

Before Poe could make his point, Jess patted the handlebar aggressively, earning Snap's attention. ''You can't be serious. After all Finn went through? He was also attacked by the First Order when helping Poe. He was almost killed by Kylo Ren. Would they have gone that far if this was all a ruse to get behind our ranks?''

Snap refused to back down. ''Okay, maybe not a spy, but what about a sleeping agent?''

She kept her lips sealed, and although Poe didn't seem satisfied with that theory, he waited for Snap's reasoning before making his own word clear.

''Remember the story of the fall of the Jedi? Order 66? Clones, who fought for the Republic for years, suddenly turned on the Jedi because the Emperor had made them something akin to sleeper agents. One trigger was all it took. Those who managed to break free of the control spoke about it. They didn't even know. Memories and thoughts moulded by the hands of the one secretly in control. A puppeteer pulling the strings. If that's the case with Finn, we've put ourselves at a great risk by bringing him along.''

Jess shifted her gaze towards Poe, afraid that she would have to jump in and stop Poe from lunging at his comrade and throttling him. To her surprise, the commander of their squadron remained poised as he listened. His face didn't change once during Snap's speech. She wondered if Poe might actually take Snap's worries seriously.

At long last, Poe spoke with a strong tone. ''As long as I'm the commander, I'm willing to take that chance.''

Snap sighed, veering his gaze away from Poe momentarily. ''Fine,'' He turned to Poe once again. ''Then as our commander, if I'm proven right, you have to be the one to stop him.''

That was when Poe reacted. His body lurched an inch and he stared down at the ground.

A loud and familiar beep blared from the control panel. A shaky breath escaped Poe as he turned his attention back to the control panel of the cockpit. ''BB-8 says we're coming up to the Kuat system. Let's get ready to land.''

Jess sighed with relief, thankful that this was over, for now at least. ''I'll let Finn know.''

Poe nodded while keeping his focus on steering the ship to their destination. Before she left, she could see the disapproving scowl written across Snap's face. Suppressing the urge to reprimand him for distrusting their new alley, especially after everything he's done to prove his valour, she marched out of the cockpit and started to make her way back to the lounge.

She didn't get very far, only walking around the corridor before she could see Finn hurrying away down the other end and out of sight. His shoulders were low and his head was slouched. He didn't even turn around when Jess called his name.

''Finn, wait!''

Her words might as well have fallen on deaf ears. Finn stormed as far as he could. He clenched his fist and punched it against a metal panel, not caring about the pain that enveloped his knuckle soon afterwards.

The further he walked, the more Jess's distant voice resembled Rey's. He pictured her standing beside him, unafraid of getting too close to him because even though he hadn't given her any reason to…she trusted him completely.

She saw him as someone who was truthful. Someone who wasn't synonymise with the symbol of the First Order.

**To Be Continued...**

**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like, you can follow my original stories on Wattpad. My penname is Thomas-LF. Thank you for your time, if you do read them, I hope you enjoy them.


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